The Boundary Commission for England has produced its initial recommendations for all English parliamentary constituencies. Substantial changes to the boundaries of the seats in Worcestershire and across the West Midlands have been suggested, with the West Midlands allocated 53 constituencies – a reduction of six from the current number.
It was a Conservative manifesto commitment to cut the cost of politics by reducing the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and to make the average size of constituencies more equal. Whereas currently the electorate varies in size from 21,769 to 108,804; under the new rules, electorates in all seats (except the Isle of Wight) must be within 5% of the average constituency electorate (74,769) and therefore no smaller than 71,031 and no larger than 78,507. In order to facilitate this change parliamentary constituencies may, for the first time, cross county borders.
In the proposed changes, the current seat of Mid Worcestershire will be split up. A new seat of Evesham and South Warwickshire is proposed which comprises just over 50% of the current seat of Mid Worcestershire.
The initial proposals would see Droitwich Spa and the neighbouring wards of Dodderhill and Lovett and North Claines being moved into a new seat of Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa; Hartlebury moved into the Wyre Forest constituency; the wards of Norton and Whittington and Drakes Broughton moved into an expanded Worcester constituency; Ombersley forming part of a new Malvern and Ledbury seat (including much of the existing West Worcestershire seat, but also crossing county borders into Herefordshire); Inkberrow ward moved from Redditch and put into the new Evesham and South Warwickshire seat which will include much of the southern part of the current Mid Worcestershire seat but also stretch westwards to include Pershore, Elmley Castle, Bredon, South Bredon Hill and Eckington wards (currently in West Worcestershire); and eastwards to include 7 wards in the south of Warwickshire that currently form part of the Stratford upon Avon constituency.
The Boundary Commission is consulting on its initial proposals for a 12-week period, from 13 September to 5 December. For information on how to respond go to www.bce2018.org.uk.
I support the principle of reducing the number of parliamentary seats from 650 to 600 and inevitably this will involve some changes in constituency boundaries. The proposals are subject to consultation and nothing will be finalised until 2018 which will give everyone the chance to comment and some alterations to the initial proposals will no doubt be made. Obviously, I am quite happy with the Mid Worcestershire constituency as it is - and I would be delighted for it to continue in its current form.
I have only been an MP for a short period of time but have developed strong relationships and made good friends in every part of the constituency, but as I support the idea of fairer and more equal sized constituencies across the country I have to accept there are likely to be some changes locally. Whatever the final proposals, I will continue to serve all my constituents equally right up to the next general election in May 2020.